Stocking turner



Aug. 17, 194s.

C. LUDINGTON STOCKING TURNER Filed March 20, 1941 Patented Aug. 17. 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2. 9 I I I 7 sro'cKING TURNER Clyde. Ludington, Billings, Mont. Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 736,013'

3 Claims. (Cl. 22-3-39') This-invention relates to new and useful improvements in stocking turners and the primary feature of the present invention is to provide a device adapted to quickly and easily turn stockings in a manner so that the operator will have both of his hands free to manipulate the stock- Another important feature of the present invention is to provide a machine for turning stockings that is small and compact and conveniently attached to a supporting structure at the desired height to accommodate an operator.

A further feature of the present invention is to provide a stocking turning machine of the character referred to including a protective apron at one end of the device which is adapted to prevent the tearing or snagging of stockings likely to frequently occur in other such machines on the market at the present time.

A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a device of the class described that is simple and practical in construction, efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted forthe purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the improved stocking turning machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one end of the device, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the protective apron removed from the device.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 5 represents an elongated backboard adapted to be fastened in a vertical position to a supporting structure by fastening means 6 carried at the upper and lower ends of said backboard.

Removably held near the upper end of the backboard by bolts and nuts 1 is an upper block 8, and held similarly at the lower end of back-board 5 by bolts and nuts 9 is a lower block I0.

Held to the upper block at one side ther'eofby' screwsor' the like it is one endof' a vertically pe: sition'ed downwardly extending upper arm I}; having it lower endfthreade-das at ll to engage an internally threaded bore M 'inaflpreferably spherical upper knob l5. Y i f 7 One end of a lower arm it is pivotaliy" connected as at V H to the lowerbl-ock Wand; the opposite end of said arm is threaded as at E8 to engage an nternaily threaded bore l9 in a lower spherical knob'20 '3 .The lower arm when extended to a vertical po' sition will be off-centered from the upper arm and inwardly toward the center of the back-board and with the knob 20 slightly below the knob l 5, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

A substantially U-shaped bracket 2| is adapted to loosely receive the lower end of arm 16 whereby said arm is restricted in its pivotal movement, said bracket having its out-turned ends 22 secured against the lower block I!) by screws or the like 23.

For the purpose of protecting a stocking used on the machine from snagging or tearing an arcuate apron plate 24 having an opening 25 is slipped downwardly on the lower arm, said plate being sw-ingable with the lower arm.

In operation of the device the lower arm is swung away from the upper arm as, far as the bracket 2| will permit. The stocking is then conveniently gripped by its mouth or open end with both hands of the operator and pulled upwardly over the upper arm until the toe of the stocking bears against the upper knob.

The lower arm is then swung sidewise until the lower knob lies directly beneath the upper knob as shown by the left hand dotted lines in Figure 1.

The operator then pulls the mouth end of the stocking downwardly over the lower arm so that the toe portion of the stocking is hearing on the lower knob. The stocking is thereby quickly and readily turned, and is removed from the lower arm by swinging said arm toward the right and pulling upwardly on the stocking by the toe.

The lower knob and upper knob being slightly adjustable on the respective ends of the lower arm and upper arm increase or decrease the space between said knobs;

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

it is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit or the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for turning stockings including a backboard, means securing said back-board in a vertical position to a supporting structure, one end of a fixed arm secured to one end of said back-board, a spherical knob carried by the free end of said fixed arm, one end of a second arm pivotally mounted at the other end of said backboard, a second spherical knob carried by the free end of the second arm, said knobs adapted to furnish a smooth surface contacting the toe of a stocking, and a stop carried by the back-board adapted to limit the swinging movement of the free end of the second arm toward and away from the free end of the fixed arm.

2. A device for turning stockings including a back-board, means fastening said board in a vertical position to a supporting structure, an upper block at the upper end of said back-board, a lower block at the lower end of said back-board, one end of a fixed arm secured to the upper block adjacent its side edge and adapted to extend downwardly from said block, one end of a second arm pivotally connected to the lower block for vertical 30 swinging movement and extending upwardly from its attached block, and a stop carried by the lower block adapted to limit the swinging movement of the free end of the second arm toward and away from the free end of the fixed arm.

8. A device for turning stockings including a back-board, means fastening said board in a vertical position to a supporting structure, an upper block at the upper end of said back-board, a lower block at the lower end of said back-board, one end of a fixed arm secured to the upper block adjacent its side edge and adapted to extend downwardly from said block, one end of a second arm pivotally connected to the lower block for vertical swinging movement and extending upwardly from its attached block, an arcuate plate carried by the second arm and adapted to cover the lower block preventing a stocking from tearing on said lower block during a turning process, and a stop carried by the lower block adapted to limit the swinging movement of the free end of the second arm toward and away from the free end of the fixed arm. 7

- CLYDE LUDINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,100,203 Stedman June 16, 1914 2,182,424 Chercass Dec. 5, 1939 

